The traditional card transaction device is classified into two types: an online card transaction device and an off-line card transaction device. The online card transaction device must be disposed at a fixed location so as to be connected to the internet. For example, the online card transaction device is a credit card machine used in a store or a department store. The off-line card transaction device doesn't need to be disposed at a fixed location, but it still needs to be connected to the back-end systems after reading a card. The off-line card transaction device relies on a post-transaction connection to complete card verification. Because the off-line card transaction device can't immediately verify the card, the risk of receivables would be increased. For example, the off-line card transaction device is a credit card machine used in an airplane.
Currently, some of the published literatures disclose some technical features to solve problems of the traditional card transaction devices, and increase the convenience of card transaction. The techniques disclosed in these literatures also reduce the cost of the traditional card transaction devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,729 titled “Card reader device for a cell phone and method of use” discloses a small card reader device connected to an audio hole of a smart phone, and then the smart phone turns into a mobile credit card machine. The card reader device of U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,729 can be used immediately through internet, and is easy to carry. The technology of the card reader device of U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,729 is configured to convert digital data into audio signals during card transaction. Then, the audio signals are transmitted to the smart phone. Afterward, the smart phone converts the audio signals into the digital data. Finally, the digital data would be uploaded to a database of a bank.
Even though U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,729 titled “Card reader device for a cell phone and method of use” has solved the problems of the traditional card transaction devices as being immobile and incapable of immediate use through internet, the card reader device of U.S. Pat. No. 7,810,729 still has the following drawbacks:
1. The card reader device crashes easily during reading a card or converting digital data into audio signals, and as such it causes a transaction failure. When the card reader device crashes, user needs to reboot it in order for it to work correctly.
2. The fundamental information of the card has not been encoded, so it is cracked easily and not safe.
Therefore, how to design a card transaction device that can reduce the incidence of failure and increase the safety during using is worth considering to a person having ordinary skill in the art.